Strong student side chosen

Press, 24 August 1988, Page 72

Strong student side chosen

PA London New Zealand will. be hoping for a repeat of last year’s senior World Cup final in Auckland when it meets France in the semifinal of the Student Rugby World Cup semi-final in Perpignan on Thursday. The All Blacks triumphed, 29-9, in a pretty one-sided affair at Eden Park and although the junior All Blacks do not expect to have it so easy are determined that

the outcome will be the same. “As far as we are concerned this is the final,” said the New Zealand assistant manager, Evan Taylor. “If we can win this one, then we fancy our chances against anyone.” The other semi-finalists, the Soviet Union and Argentina also meet on Thursday, in Biarritz, where Sunday’s final will be staged.

The Kiwis go into the France match without a game for over a week. But Mr Taylor said lack of match practice was no problem. “We played four hard matches to get through to the semis so the players deserved a break and are feeling all the better for it,” he said. The fact that the French are the only unbeaten side in the tournament does not worjy New Zealand.

"We have seen them on television and while they look a very good side we believe that they can be beaten,” Mr Taylor said.

The New Zealand line-up is:— Andrew Simcock, Peter Currie, Alistair Cran, Brian Mather, Murray Kendrick (capt), Mark George, Ant Strachan, Kevin Schuler, Stephen Burkhart, Mana Otai, Roger Patterson, John Jackson, Noel Anderton, Tevita Sio and Danny Morrison.